Drum-snare.



H. B. JAY. DRUM SNARE.

APPLICATION FILED IUNE 2. I9I7.

HARRY B. JAY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DRUM-SNARE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 14, 1918.

Application leel J une 2, 1917. Serial No. 172,429.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY B. JAY, a c1t1- zen of the United States of America, and a resident of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Drum-Snares, of which the following is a specification.

The main objects of this invention are to provide an improved form of drum snare which is independent of atmospheric temperature and humidity conditions and of the surface conformation of the drumhead; to provide an improved snare for drums 1n which the snares may be readily shifted into and out of contact with the drumhead; and to provide improved means for adjusting the tension of the snares against the drumhead.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawin s, in whichigure 1 is a vertical section of the lower portion of a drum, showing the improved snare attached thereto.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of. the side of the improved snare which is adjacent the drumhead when in use.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line A-A of v Fig. 2.

In the use of snare drums, it is highly desirable to have a snare which can be readily brought into use and shifted to a position out of contact with the drumhead, without the manipulation of cumbersome clamps and analogous means. It is also desirable to have a construction in which the contact of the snares with the drumhead can be varied readily to render them more or less sensitive to vibration and in which a quick adjustment may be made to suit changes in the drumhead occasioned by moisture or weather conditions.

In the construction shown in the draw.

transverse clamping bridge or supporting member 7 is carried by legs at its ends pivoty ally mounted by suitable screws 9 and 10 on the base member 1 adjacent one end thereof and extends transversely thereto.

Means are provided for rocking the bridge member 7 so as to carry the free ends of the resilient ngers 6 away from the drumhead and comprise a compression spring 11 mounted in a recess 12 in the base member 1 in position to bear between the base member and an arm 13 which is formed integrally with the bridge member 7. When the bridge member is normally rocked under action of the spring 11, the free ends of the fingers 6 rest upon a deadening pad 14 of suitable material such as felt, or the like.

The bridge member 7 is adapted to be rocked against the action of the spring 11 so as to carry the free ends of the fingers into contact with the drumhead 5, by an adjustable camming device, preferably in the form of a threaded thumb screw 15 which is threaded through a manipulative member or rod 16 transversely to the axis thereof, the manipulative member being journaled by suitable supporting clips 17 on the under side of the base member 1. The outer end 18 of the thumb screw 15 is adapted to extend through an aperture :19 in the base member 1, so as to contact with and shift an arrn 2O formed integrally with the sup porting bridge 7 and extending outwardly therefrom on the opposite side from the arm 13. Adjustment of the pressure of the snarengers upon the head of the drum is accomplished by turning the screw 15 on its own axis.

The manipulative member 16 is adapted to be readily rotated on its axis so as to shift the arm 20, by means of a knurled thumb nut 21 rigidly mounted on the outer end thereof.

In the operation of the device, the base member is mounted on the under side of a drum on the tightening hoop 4 by means of the clips 2 and 3. When it is desired to bring the snare into use, the knurled thumb nut 21 is grasped by the user and rotated,

thus causing the end 18 or' the thumb screw l5 to cam the arm 2O upwardly, thus rocking the supporting member 7 and thereby shifting the free ends of the resilientiingers G into contact with the drumhead 5. The pressure of the fingers 6 bearing en the underside of head 5 tends to support andf tighten the drum head regardless oi' whether the head be flat or warped or be loose because of dampness in the atmosphere; and being of metal, the lingers themselyes are not aii'ected by atmospheric conditions as are the usual gut snares. The slot 19 is so arranged that the thumb screw 15 may? be rocked slightly past center, as shown in dotted outline in Fig.- 3, thereby utilizing the pressure of the spring ll for locking the tactwith the pad 1A.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention has been herein shown and described, it will be understood that numerous details of the construction shown Y may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of this invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A snare for drums, comprising a supporting member, means for pivotally mounting said member on a drum adjacent the head thereof, a plurality of resilient ingers rigidly mounted on said supporting member, and means for rocking said supporting member so as to shift said fingers into and out ci? contact with such drumhead.

2. A snare for drums, comprising a base member, means for rigidly attaching said member to a drum adjacent the head thereoi', a plurality of resilient fingers shiftably mounted on said base member, yielding means for normally urging said lingers out of contact with suchV drumhead, and means for shifting said fingers into Contact with such drumhead. Y

' 3. A snare for drums, comprising a base member, means for rigidly attaching said member to a drum adjacent the head thereof, a clamping member movably mounted on said base member, a plurality of resilient lingers rigidly mounted at one end` on` said clamping member, yielding means for normally rocking saidclamping member so as to carry the free ends of said members away from such drumhead, and cam means for rocking said clamping member so as to carry said free ends into Contact with such drumhead. j

Arsnare for drums, comprising a base member, means for rigidly attaching said member to a drum adjacent the head thereof, a plurality of resilient fingers shiftably mounted on said base member, yielding means for normally urging said fingers out of contact with such drumhead, a manipulative member j our'naled on said base "member, and a cam-ron said manipulative member for shifting said fingers into contact with such drumhead.

5.-v A snare for drums, comprising a base member', means `for rigidly attaching said member to a drum adjacent the head thereof, a plurality of resilient ngers shiftably mounted on said base member, lyielding means for normally vurging said 'iingersout or contact with such drumhead, a manipulative member journaled onvsaid basemember, and an adjustable cam on said 'manipulative member for shifting said fingers into Contact with such drumhead. A

6. A snare for drums, comprising a base member, means for rigidly 'attaching said member to a drum'adjacentthe head thereof, a plurality of resilient lingers shiftably mounted on said basemember, means for shifting said lingers into and out of contact with such drumhead, and a deadening pad on said base member adapted to have said lingers rest thereon when in one position.

7. A snare for drums, comprising a base member, means l.for rigidly attaching said member to a drum adjacent 'the head thereof, a clamping bridge pivotally mounted on said base member, a plurality yof spring wires rigidly mounted at one' endon said clamping bridge, a deadening pad on said base member adapted to have the free ends otsaid wires rest thereon, Vyielding means for normally rocking said clamping bridge so as to carry vthe free ends of Asaid wires into contact with said pad, a manipulative member journaled on said'base member, and i an adjustable cam j on said manipulative member for rocking saidbridge againstthe action of said yielding means-so as torshift the free ends of said Wires into contact with such drumhead. j l v 8. A snare for drums, comprising an elongated base member, means for rigidly attaching said member to a drum adjacent the head thereof, la clamping' bridge pivotally mounted on said base member adjacent one end thereof and transversely thereto, a plurality of spring wires rigidly mounted at one end on saidclamping bridge, a deadeningpad on said base member adaptedto have the free ends of Asaid wiresl rest therel 'l on, said clamping bridge having .a part extending at each side thereof, a compression spring bearing between one of said parts and said base member for normally for rocking said bridge so as to shift the rocking said bridge so as to carry the free free ends of said wires into contact with ends of said Wires into contact with said such drumhead. 10 pad, a manipulative member journaled on Signed at Chicago this 31st day of May 5 said base member, and an adjustable cam 1917.

on said manipulative member adapted to coact with the other of said bridge parts HARRY B. JAY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, ZD. G. 

